Rarely a producer gives me music and I write to it. I think that's too easy. Most of the time for me, it's on an elevator or in my car listening to absolutely nothing. I'll just be driving and then the lyrics birth.

If people wanted to fight me-because of my hair or because my skin was too dark-then I fought them

I would sit in the back at church every Sunday trying to hide, and just when I thought I'd gotten through the service without her [grandmother] calling on me to sing 'His Eye Is On The Sparrow,' she'd always call me up

I really wanted my music to reflect my personal life and what I set out to do every day.

I remember the excitement of being a new artist. When up and coming artists ask me like, "Any advice you have for me?" I always say, "Take it all in because you'll never be a new artist again".

You never get another first time. I just remember being excited and that feeling of "Wow my dream is really coming true".

I always say, "When you know it's right, everything will fall into place."